LA Coastal Fishing: Summer Bass Bite and Barracuda Action in Santa Monica Bay

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Los Angeles coastal fishing report. Marine layer’s hanging in along most of the LA coast this morning, burning off late morning into a clear, mild afternoon. Inland valleys are warming up fast, but along the water you’re looking at mid‑60s early, low 70s by midday, light onshore breeze building to 10–15 knots by afternoon. Small west swell running, 2–3 feet, a little mixed wind chop later. Sunrise hit around a quarter after five, with sunset lined up just before eight thirty. We’re sitting on a typical early‑summer tide cycle: a decent pre‑dawn high sliding down toward a late‑morning low, then a slow push through the afternoon. That falling tide right after first light and the first couple hours of the afternoon flood are your best windows. Inshore, the bite’s been solid. Party boats and private skiffs out of Marina del Rey and Redondo have been reporting steady counts of **calico bass**, **sand bass**, and plenty of **mixed rockfish**—vermillion, chucklehead, and some nice whitefish—off the hard bottom and structure. Surface action has picked up with **barracuda** and a few **bonito** sliding through when the breeze lays down and the bait pushes up. Best bets on artificials right now: - **Swimbaits** in baitfish colors (sardine, anchovy) on 1/2–1 oz leadheads for bass along the kelp and boiler rocks. - **Small metal jigs** and **Krocodile‑style spoons** for barracuda and bonito when birds start working. - **Plastic grubs** and **strip‑tipped hooks** on a dropper loop for rockfish in 150–250 feet. On bait, you can’t beat a healthy **live anchovy or sardine** pinned on a light wire hook and fished fly‑line style for the bass and any roaming pelagics. For rockfish, a **squid strip** or anchovy chunk is still the standard. If you’re stuck on the pier or breakwall, bring **frozen anchovy, squid, and a bit of market shrimp**—that trio covers you for perch, croaker, and bass. From the beach, barred **surf perch**, **yellowfin croaker**, and the occasional **spotfin** have been chewing in the late afternoon on the flooding tide. Light spinning gear, **Carolina rig with sand crabs or lugworms**, or small Gulp sandworms will get you bit. Keep it stealthy with lighter fluorocarbon leaders in the clear water. A couple of hot spots to keep on your radar: - **Santa Monica Bay kelp and stones:** The kelp lines outside the Santa Monica and Malibu zone have been kicking out quality calico bass in the low‑light hours. Slow‑rolled swimbaits and leadhead squid combos are doing damage along that edge where the kelp meets the sand. - **Breakwall and artificial structure near the LA Harbor entrance:** That area has been producing mixed bass, sculpin, and occasional halibut for guys slow‑trolling live bait or bouncing plastics along the rocks. When the current starts to move, toss a heavier jig along the face of the wall and let it sink—most bites come on the drop. If you can swing it, fish that grey‑light to mid‑morning window for your best shot at life on the surface, then slide deeper once the sun’s high. Afternoons can still produce, especially on that building tide, but go a bit heavier on line and lead as the wind bumps up. That’s the word from the water. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn